‘Cazzo. Another year that I won’t make it to the second tappa. Vabbè.’
‘Are you ok with this?’ Alessio’s squinted eyes conveyed his guilt.
Carlo shrugged pensively. ‘There is nothing I can do, no? I never win. It’s fine with me. I won’t say nothing.’
Francesca pounced on him with a series of cheek kisses. ‘Grazie di cuore, Carlo!’
‘Just promise me one thing, Alessio. Make sure the other two don’t win, eh!’
‘I’ll try my best!’
As the guys reached forward and exchanged a hearty man hug, Carlo’s phone rang. He stepped quickly aside to take the call, returning moments later with a proposition for Alessio. ‘It is now your turn to use your raincheck.’
‘For what?’
‘The guys need another man for the volleyball game. Come. Play.’
Simona inflated with enthusiasm. ‘Sì! Then you are truly one of us!’
Alessio looked to Francesca. ‘What do you think?’
‘Do it. But I’m keeping the shirt.’ She snuggled into the warm linen and laughed.
Alessio turned and nodded at Carlo. ‘Ok, andiamo!’ They headed up the beach, but not before Alessio whispered to Francesca, ‘I could use the distraction.’
* * *
Following a tense defeat at the hands of Elio and Sebastiano’s team, Simona, Carlo, Alessio and Francesca made their way back up to the piazza. After at least three rounds of good-night cheek kisses because they couldn’t stop chatting, they finally parted ways.
As they arrived at Trattoria dei Fiori’s front door, Francesca placed a hand on Alessio’s as he reached to unlock it.
‘Wait, please,’ Francesca said, her voice heavy.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘I need to apologise for before. What I did at the beach. In the kitchen. And the other day, at the cove.’
His hand dropped by his side. ‘Why?’
‘Because I took things too far. It was inappropriate and I risked all this.’ Her right hand gestured to the two feet between them. ‘I got carried away. Scusami.’
These words deflated all his hopes for something more with Francesca upstairs. That much he could read from her flat body language and spiritless voice.
He took a step, narrowing the gap between them. ‘Don’t apologise. But know that despite the interesting location and half the town for company, it felt fucking good. Feeling you play with me like that . . .’
She rolled her neck uncomfortably. ‘I . . . I’m glad it did. But I’m still sorry. It’s too risky right now. The competition starts in two weeks. And I . . . I . . .’ She was coming undone.
‘Francesca, stop. If this is what you want, then . . . then that’s what happens. Nothing.’
Her bright brown eyes looked up at him in earnest. ‘But I want things to happen. Many things. All of the things. You are making me crazy, Alessio. But . . .’
‘The timing isn’t right.’
She exhaled. ‘I’m sorry if I led you on tonight. But my attention and affection were all real. All true.’
He gave her hand a squeeze and offered a kind smile. ‘Mine too. Including what I said.’
‘Allora, for now, we can just . . .?’
